Continuing with the series on spring management and an outlook on the 2025 beekeeping season across Atlantic Canada, this week’s blog will discuss early beekeeping trends in New Brunswick. Read this week’s blog to learn the highlights of how NB colonies faired through winter, and how colonies are building up across the province prior to wild blueberry pollination.
2025 season outlook – NB
Across New Brunswick beekeepers are reporting variable
winter loss similar to the other Maritime provinces. Some individual New
Brunswick beekeepers are reporting nearly 100% loss of colonies where many others
are reporting manageable winter loss (range 20-30%). There are also some
commercial beekeepers who are reporting higher than their average winter loss. It
is still early in the season to confirm the province’s average winter loss, and
an official report will be provided later in the season from the Canadian
Association of Professional Apiculturists (CAPA) and from the New Brunswick provincial
apiarist.
New Brunswick beekeepers should aim to determine the reason behind colony loss by examining dead outs and potentially seeking laboratory testing to determine if any pests and/or disease were the reason for colony loss. This past weekend the Nova Scotia Beekeepers’ Association, in partnership with the Atlantic Tech Transfer Team for Apiculture, provided a workshop on examining dead outs and investigating the cause of colony loss. Continue reading this week’s blog for a recap on the workshop.
The official report identifying top reasons for colony
loss in New Brunswick will be provided by CAPA later this season. The ATTTA
team is always willing to assist with pest and disease testing on dead outs,
and on live colonies throughout the season. We encourage beekeepers to reach
out about available testing.
So far this spring New Brunswick beekeepers have not
had the best weather conditions for early spring beekeeping, but recently there
have been more nice beekeeping days across the province. New Brunswick
beekeepers are now busy preparing hives for wild blueberry pollination later
this month, and some are starting to recover from winter loss.
NSBA Spring Workshop Recap
This past Saturday the Nova Scotia Beekeeper’s
Association, in partnership with the Atlantic Tech Transfer Team for
Apiculture, provided a workshop on conducting hive autopsies located at
Kittilsen’s Honey in Debert, NS. Nearly 20 beekeepers were in attendance.
Beekeepers worked in groups to work through examining a dead hive step-by-step
looking for key indicators to identify the cause of colony loss.
The session was a great opportunity for new beekeepers
to ask questions around the various factors for colony loss, and a good
reminder for experienced beekeepers to thoroughly examine dead hives to
determine the cause for loss. It is important to recognize that a variety of
factors can all contribute to a colony not surviving the winter season, and
sometimes it is challenging to a identify one reason above others.
Additionally, there are times when bees have absconded from the colony which
leaves very little behind to examine. Regardless, it is recommended that
beekeepers examine each of their dead hives and try to determine what occurred
so that they can either protect remaining colonies and/or improve in their
beekeeping practices. For questions around conducting hive autopsies please
contact the ATTTA team.
Connecting with ATTTA Specialists
If you’d like to connect with ATTTA specialists or learn more about our program, you can:
visit our website at https://www.perennia.ca/portfolio-items/honey-bees/
Email attta@perennia.ca